Unit Eight Grade Seven
Dec 26, 2015
Unit Eight
Grade Seven
1. abnormal (adj) not usual, not typical, strange
syn: freakish, unnatural, irregular, anomalous
ant: normal, usual, regular, typical
Ex. It would be abnormal to have a school day where students did no work.
2. capsize (v) to turn bottom side up, upset
syn: overturn, upend, tip over
ant: remain uprightEx. The boat capsized and
sent its passengers into the river.
3. catastrophe (n) a large scale disaster, misfortune, or failure
syn: calamity, tragedy, cataclysm
ant: triumph, victory, success
Ex. Hurricane Katrina was a catastrophe on American soil.
4. decrease (v) to become or make less (n) a lessening
syn: (v) lessen, reduce, dwindle, diminishant: (v)increase, grow, develop, wax
Ex. The need to learn new things does not decrease with age.
5. disputatious (adj) inclined to argue or debate; provoking debate
syn: argumentative, quarrelsome, contentiousant: nonargumentative, peaceable, pacificEx. A debate would be
unsuccessful if the people were not disputatious.
6. eject (v) to drive or throw out, evict
syn: oust, expel, kick outant: admit, let in, insertEx. The player fouled out
and was ejected from the game.
7. flourish (v) to grow, thrive, be prosperous; to wave in the air
(n) a dramatic gesture; a fanfare of horns
syn: (v) prosper, burgeon, increaseant: (v) wither, die, fade, shrivel upEx. The fertilizer caused the
flowers to flourish.
8. incentive (n) a reason for doing something; something that stimulates action
syn: stimulus, spur, motive, inducement
ant: curb, check, restraint, hindrance
Ex. The offer of bonus points often serves as incentive for students to complete an assignment.
9. insubordinate (adj) disobedient, rebellious
syn: defiant, unruly, mutinousant: obedient, submissive,
docile, tractableEx. The child was insubordinate
to his parents and was punished for his defiance.
10. legible (adj) easily readsyn: readable, clear,
decipherableant: unreadable,
indecipherableEx. One’s handwriting must
be legible on a job application.
11. nub (n) the central point or heart of a matter; a knob
syn: core, kernel, nucleus, cruxant: fringe, periphery, edgeEx. The nub of the
persuasive essay was stated in the thesis statement.
12. onslaught (n) a violent attack; a sudden rush of something
syn: assault, charge, foray, onsetEx. The onslaught of
mosquitoes was prevented by bug spray.
13. ordain (v) to establish by law; to order or command; to appoint as a priest or minister; to destine
syn: anoint, consecrate, enact, decreeant: forbid, veto, cancelEx. The Constitution was
ordained by the founding fathers.
14. outstrip (v) to get ahead of, do better than, exceed
syn: outdo, outperform, outdistance, surpass
ant: trail, lag behindEx. To outstrip the competition,
one must work harder and give 100 percent.
15.pervade (v) to spread throughout
syn: saturate, permeate, diffuse, imbue
Ex. The scent of the lilacs pervaded the room and obliterated all remaining traces of the fish served for dinner.
16. prudent (adj) cautious, careful, showing good sense
syn: wary, sensible, judiciousant: foolish, unwise, rash,
recklessEx. It was prudent to
approach the strange dog carefully.
17. quench (v) to put out, extinguish, end
syn: douse, stifle, slakeant: ignite, kindleEx. Quench your thirst
with Gatorade.
18. remnant (n) a small part remaining behind
syn: remainder, residue, leftover, fragmentEx. The carpet remnant
was enough to cover the small area.
19. simultaneous (adj) happening or existing at the same time
syn: occurring at the same time, concurrentant: occurring at different timesEx. The yearbook meeting and
drama rehearsal cannot occur simultaneously since Mrs. Frow cannot be in two places at the same time.
20. swerve (v) to turn aside sharply (n) a sharp or sudden
turnsyn: veer, digress, sheer offEx. The boys had to swerve in
the hallway to miss the group of giggling girls who had stopped to gossip.